Mayor announces historic Türkiye visit to represent London at COP31, the United Nations Climate Conference, and bang the drum for investment in the capital
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a historic visit to Türkiye next month as he represents London at COP31, the United Nations Climate Conference, and bangs the drum for further investment in the capital.
As the elected Co-Chair of the C40 network of global cities, the Mayor will attend COP31 in Antalya, meeting with global leaders and leading critical discussions on actions major cities can take to help tackle the climate crisis.
Sadiq is the first Mayor of London to visit Türkiye. After COP31, he will then travel to Istanbul to encourage further investment in London, promoting our capital and building on the strong community links between our two great cities.
The UK and Türkiye have a long history of working together, with trade between the two countries totalling around £28bn in 2025. Turkish Londoners have also influenced life in the capital for hundreds of years, with established communities in Hackney, Enfield and Haringey. Türkiye is the 13th most common country of birth for Londoners.
Almost 8,000 UK companies currently export goods to Turkey, and by 2050 Turkey’s economy is expected to be the 12th largest in the world and the fourth largest in Europe.
The Mayor announced his plans today at the renowned Antepliler restaurant, in Green Lanes. Antepliler has brought food from Gaziantep to Green Lanes since 1993, and today the Mayor met with owner Ahmet Murat Ustunsurmeli to try his hand at making kunefe and to discuss his ambitions for the visit with the community.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted that next month I will become the first Mayor to travel to Türkiye to represent our capital at COP31 and bang the drum for further trade and investment in our great capital.
“Climate change is the biggest threat facing our planet and cities have a critical role to play in driving forward the change that we all desperately need to see. That’s why I’ll be standing alongside leaders from across the globe to discuss what can be done and also how this work can provide a huge boost to our economies.
“I’ll then travel to Istanbul to champion trade and investment between our two great cities, and celebrate the huge impact that Turkish Londoners continue to have on our capital. It was a real honour to meet Ahmet Murat Üstünsürmeli and his talented team at Antepliler today to celebrate this incredible connection and discuss how together we can continue building a better London for everyone.”
Antepliler owner Ahmet Murat Ustunsurmeli said: “I’m proud that Antepliler has brought Turkish food to London for over 30 years. I’m very privileged that both the UK and Türkiye have a special place in my heart and that this wonderful identity is something that I and so many British-Turkish people here in London are so proud of. It’s a testament to the strong ties between my two countries that the Mayor of London is embarking on a trip to Türkiye. I wish him all the best and hope he gets to experience the very best of what's on offer as he builds on the wonderful relationship between the two nations.”